1. Field of the Invention
This invention is related generally to golfing equipment, and in particular to puffing practice and training aids.
2. Description of the Related Art
Golf is an outdoor game in which individual players use specially designed clubs to propel a small, hard ball over a field of play known as a golf course. The object of the game is to place the ball in each hole and advance the ball around the course in sequence using as few strokes as possible.
The modern rules of golf play are numerous and complex and include specific limitations on golfing equipment that may be used on the green. The rules of regulation play are set and maintained in the U.S. by the United States Golf Association (USGA). The USGA also establishes the standards for the mechanical aspects of the game, for example the number of holes, the size of the cup required for regulation play, the size and hardness of the ball, club construction, and restrictions on the use of mechanical aids.
A conventional golf course is divided into 18 sections or “links,” generally referred to as “holes.” The overall course length is about 6,500 to 7,000 yards (about 5,900 to 6,400 m), and the spacing between individual holes, called the fairway, may vary in length from 100 to 600 yards (from 90 to 550 m). Each hole has at one end a starting point known as a tee and, imbedded in the ground at the other end, and marked by a flag, is a cylindrical container called a cup, into which the ball must be placed in order to complete play at each hole. The cup is usually made of metal or plastic, 4.2 inches (10.8 cm) in diameter, and at least 4 inches (10 cm) deep.
Play begins at the first tee, a level area of turf, generally raised slightly above the surrounding terrain. From there each player tries to drive the ball onto the fairway or main part of the golf course, a carefully tended strip of land, 30 to 100 yards (27 to 90 m) wide, on which the grass has been cut to provide a smooth rolling surface for the ball. On either side of the fairway is the rough, which consists of areas covered with long grass, bushes, or trees, and which sometimes contains sandy, rough, or marshy land and artificial hazards, such as ditches, creeks, ponds, or lakes, that compel golfers to use additional skill and judgment in playing their shots.
The putting green, an area of closely cropped grass surrounding the cup, is located at the far end of the fairway. The smooth surface of the putting green is designed to facilitate the rolling progress of the ball into the cup after the ball has been given a gentle stroke, known as a “putt.” The putting stroke is only one of several types of golf swings, yet it accounts for nearly half of all swings made during regulation play. Typically, the distance from the edge of the putting green to the cup is variable along a curved boundary, ranging from about 40 feet to about 50 feet. At the beginning of putting green play, the ball lies somewhere in between, with some holes being sunk by a relatively long put from 20 feet to 30 feet out, but with most being sunk after two or more putts in the range of 6 feet to 10 feet to the cup.
Successful golf putting requires an assessment of the slope and grain of the putting green, a feel for the putting distance to the cup, visualization of the probable ball trajectory needed to sink the ball into the cup, and the ability to accurately aim, execute and stroke the putt in a manner that is controllable and repeatable. All of this requires good hand/eye coordination, upper body muscle control, body alignment and mental imagery.
Golf pros and amateurs alike have practiced maintaining correct ball placement, stance, grip, eye contact, and head, arm and shoulder alignment while avoiding excessive body movement during a putting swing or stroke. This is usually performed on a practice green or simulated putting green while a coach observes and provides feedback as to execution. Repetition of these steps allows the golfer to use the “set-up” mental imagery of a model stroke execution that can be recalled and used to guide his play on the putting green, where mechanical aids are not allowed. However, because personal scheduling priorities sometimes conflict with coaching availability, professional coaching is not always an option. For these reasons a mechanical practice aid is needed that can be used to reinforce good putting technique and simplify set-up for putting play.